Friday, August 28, 2009

SHAH ALAM: A Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer testified that he did not hear people arguing at his office toilet on July 16 – the day Teoh Beng Hock’s body was found.

Mohd Najeib Ahmad Walad, the state MACC assistant enforcement officer, told the inquest into Teoh’s death that he was at the office until 2.30am on that day and the atmosphere had been calm.

His testimony clearly contradicted that of his superior officer Mohd Anuar Ismail on Wednesday that Teoh and Kajang Municipal Council councillor Tan Boon Hwa had apparently argued.

Mohd Anuar, who is the investigating officer of the case, had testified that his colleague Bulkini Paharudin told him Teoh had an argument with Tan at the men’s room at 2am that day.

Teoh, who is the political aide to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, was taken to the MACC office on the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam here on July 15 to be questioned over alleged irregular disbursement of state funds. He was found dead on the fifth floor the next day.

Teoh, he said, also appeared troubled while waiting to be questioned at one of the MACC office’s lounge areas.

Questioned by Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family, on how he knew that Teoh was worried, he said: “From his body language and facial expression. He was uncomfortable with the MACC officers.”Gobind: So, if given a chance, he would have left?

Mohd Najeib: I don’t know.

On whether he had asked Teoh why he looked uncomfortable, Mohd Najeib replied he did not care and that it was probably due to his mood that day.

However, he said he would have attended to Teoh if he had complained about something to him.

Asked if force was usually used against those under questioning, he said: “As far as I know, no”.

Gobind: So, are you saying there may be but you don’t know?

Mohd Najeib: Yes.

Replying to counsel holding a watching brief for Ean Yong, Salim Bashir, he agreed that he and his colleagues had not obtained a search warrant before going to the executive councillor’s office.

Salim: Do you agree that it would make them uncomfortable, as they were not prepared to welcome the MACC?

Mohd Najeib: No.

He also said there were no verification documents to prove that several invoices printed by him had come from Teoh’s laptop.

There was no standing order or procedure when checking computers during investigations, he added.

Replying to Gobind earlier, Mohd Najeib admitted he did not remember the password to Teoh’s laptop.

Teoh, he said, had typed in the password himself and had only given him the password to access the CPU seized from his office.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

SHAH ALAM: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer in charge of the case involving Teoh Beng Hock admitted that he would not know if the political aide was threatened when he was questioned by the officers.

Mohd Anuar Ismail said this was because he had been asleep most of the time when his subordinates interrogated Teoh in the early hours of July 16.

He said this at the inquest into Teoh’s death when he was cross-examined by counsel Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family.

Gobind: During your snooze, you didn’t know what was going on?

Mohd Anuar: The officers briefed me.

Gobind: When you were sleeping, you didn’t know whether there were threats.

Mohd Anuar: I didn’t know.

Teoh, the political secretary to Selangor executive councilor Ean Yong Hian Wah had been summoned to the MACC office at the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam here on July 15 to be questioned over the alleged irregular disbursement of state allocations. He was found dead on the fifth floor the following day.

Mohd Anuar said he did not lodge a report after discovering that Teoh had died but rushed to Putrajaya to consult with his superiors.

Gobind: Your star witness is dead and you didn’t make a police report but got into your car and rushed to Putrajaya? Why did you not call the police?

Mohd Anuar: The situation was panicky as there was a dead person.

Mohd Anuar, 32, also said he had been instructed to go to Putrajaya for further instructions as well as to lodge a police report on July 17 by the Selangor MACC deputy director Hishamuddin Hashim.

Gobind, who wanted to know why Mohd Anuar had left Teoh’s remains “lying there” without even informing the latter’s family, lawyer or boss, suggested he may have done so as there was “something to hide or remove” from the scene.

“I do not agree,” Mohd Anuar replied.

Earlier in the day, Mohd Anuar testified that he did not probe Teoh on his condition during the questioning session with MACC officer Mohd Nadzri Ibrahim at 2am as there was no need to do so.

However, Mohd Anuar who admitted he had gone back to sleep after inquiring if everything was alright, said he noticed that Teoh appeared to be uncomfortable and withholding something when his statement was being recorded.

Mohd Anuar added that he had asked Teoh if everything was okay but Teoh had kept mum.

Asked why he had not tried to find out why Teoh had kept silent and appeared uncomfortable, Mohd Anuar said it had not occurred to him to so.

Gobind also said Teoh’s lawyer M. Manoharan had waited at the MACC office for an hour on July 15 but no one came out to speak to him.

To this, Mohd Anuar said he was not aware that Manoharan had come to the MACC office that day.

On why the questioning had to be carried out throughout the night, Mohd Anuar replied that there was urgency in conducting Teoh’s case given the wide media coverage it had received.

Gobind asked: “You were directed to bring them in and get a confession?”

Mohd Anuar admitted that he had been instructed to do so by Hishamuddin and MACC head of investigation unit Hairul Ilham Hamzah.

Friday, August 21, 2009

KLANG: The mysterious letter which derailed the Teoh Beng Hock inquest on Wednesday purportedly implicates a top-ranking Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer and a state Barisan Nasional leader in the mishap.

The letter, which was published in several news portals, was allegedly written by lower-ranking MACC officers, accusing the two men of having conspired to topple the Selangor government by conducting a witch-hunt of its leaders, which indirectly resulted in Teoh’s tragic death.

It also accused the MACC officer of having protected the politician when he was in power before the Pakatan Rakyat coalition took over Selangor.

According to the letter, the officer had received many kickbacks as payment for his service to the politician.

Counsel representing Teoh’s family, Gobind Singh Deo, tendered in the letter to the coroner after informing him that an individual had handed it to him on Tuesday.

One incriminating accusation in the letter is about the method the officer used as his interrogation technique – by holding the front portion of a person’s belt and lifting him several times before shaking him.(Government forensic pathologist Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim had opined at the inquest earlier that it was possible that Teoh had been held up by the belt as it had a tear at the buckle region.)

It also said the officer left the office on the first session DNA samples were taken from MACC officers to facilitate investigations into Teoh’s death.

The letter alleged that during the second session, the officer gave his DNA in the privacy of his office instead of the conference room where all the officers, including the state director, had assembled to be swabbed.

“Why was his DNA sample given in secrecy? Was it his own sample that was given? We MACC officers are puzzled why none of the samples extracted matched that of the mysterious male samples (found on Teoh’s blazer and belt),” the letter purportedly asked.

It also recommended that the officer be swabbed again in the presence of people who can be trusted.

The letter alleged that the officer had ordered his subordinates to wipe the window, from where Teoh is believed to have plunged to his death.

The officer was also purportedly the last person to have seen Teoh alive, as he had not punched his card when leaving the office at 6.10am on July 16th.

Meanwhile, when contacted, the politician, who was overseas, said the allegations were baseless. “I have nothing to gain by toppling the Selangor government,” he added.

“I don’t think it’s the work of MACC officers. What are they going to get by making such wild allegations?” he asked.

SHAH ALAM: Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas has instructed the police to investigate the contents of the mysterious letter that was presented at the Teoh Beng Hock inquest on Wednesday.

Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said that he could not elaborate but added that the police have began an investigation.

The results of the investigation would be sent to the court for the inquest, he said on Friday.

The letter accuses a top-ranking Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer and a state Barisan Nasional leader of having conspired to topple the Selangor government by conducting a witch-hunt of its leaders, which indirectly resulted in Teoh’s tragic death.

On July 15, Teoh was taken in for questioning by the MACC as a witness in its investigation into the alleged abuse of constituency funds by certain elected representatives in the state.

Teoh, 30, was the political secretary of state executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah.

Teoh’s body was found the next day on the fifth floor of the Plaza Masalam building the next day. The MACC has its office on the 14th floor of the building.

The Cabinet agreed to the inquest into the death after a public outcry.

In KUALA LUMPUR earlier Friday, MACC deputy director Datuk Abu Kassim said the Commission would have to determine if the mysterious letter presented at the inquest on Wednesday is the same as the one which has been published on numerous portals and blogs.

He said the MACC, which has yet to get a copy of the letter presented at the inquest, has to see if it is one and the same as the version which has been published online.

“If they match, we will let the police and our internal complaints board investigate,” he said.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

SHAH ALAM: A letter containing 'a handful of names' with details relevant to the inquest was received by Gobind Singh Deo.

Gobind, who is holding a watching brief for political aide Teoh Beng Hock's family, said someone handed him the letter after the hearing on Tuesday.

He said the five-page typed letter had 'a handful of names' and material facts and circumstances relevant to the inquest.

He, however, said the letter was dated Aug 5.

During Wednesday's proceedings, Gobind said he wanted the letter investigated and had informed Teoh's family accordingly.

He said the letter contained explicit details of significance to the inquest.

Tan Hock Chuan, the lawyer representing the Attorney-General's Chambers, said the prosecution has no objection for further investigation to be carried out.

"All of us are interested to know the truth. These are allegations that must be investigated by police. Let the police investigate to verify the truth or otherwise of the allegations."

It is learnt that the coroner and all interested parties viewed the letter earlier in the afternoon.

The inquest then adjourned to Monday afternoon.

Here is an account of what transpired in the court:

3.50pm: Outside the courtroom Gobind told reporters the letter was typed in "five to six pages." He says it was handed to him by someone who approached him outside the court yesterday. However, the letter was dated Aug 5.

"A handful of names are mentioned in the letter," he said.

3.45pm: The inquest adjourns to Monday afternoon.

3.25pm: Gobind says matters raised in the letter clearly relate to material facts and circumstances relevant to the inquest.

He says he is making an application to the court for the letter to be investigated and has informed Teoh's family accordingly.

Tan Hock Chuan, for the Attorney-General's Chambers, said the prosecution has no objection for further investigation to be carried out. "All of us are interested to know the truth. These are allegations that must be investigated by police. Let the police investigate to verify the truth or otherwise of the allegations."

It is learnt that the coroner and all interested parties viewed the letter earlier in the afternoon.

3.20pm: Gobind said a letter was handed to him after yesterday's proceedings. He said the letter contained explicit details which are of significance to the inquest.

3.15pm: Gobind Singh Deo says Teoh's family is in the court. He said there is a new development to the case.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

SHAH ALAM: Teoh Beng Hock had facial injuries and it is possible that they were caused by beating, an inquest into his death was told.

Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim, the Klang Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR) senior consultant pathologist, also said the political aide had injuries in his anus, adding it was possible that such an injury could have been caused when he was beaten with a blunt wooden object.

Replying to counsel representing the Selangor government Malik Imtiaz Sarwar on the facial injuries, he said it was possible it was due to a beating.

Malik Imtiaz had suggested to Dr Khairul Azman that if the facial injuries were caused by Teoh’s fall from the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam, it depended on how he landed onto the building’s fifth floor service corridor.

Teoh had severe multiple injuries which included a perforated anus, broken ribs, fractured ribs, limbs, and skull as well as various bruises and lacerations.

Probed by Malik Imtiaz over the anal injury, Dr Khairul Azman said the injury could have occurred as Teoh’s sacrum bone (located at the base of the spine) was fractured in the fall.(Caption: Ready for court: Dr Khairul Azman arriving at the witness room at the Shah Alam court for Teoh Beng Hock’s inquest Monday.)

Malik Imtiaz: Is it possible for the anal injuries to have occurred before the fall and made worse by the fall?

Dr Khairul Azman:Possible.

Malik Imtiaz: Is it possible that this can be seen as a penetration wound?

Dr Khairul Azman, who admitted he had not carried out specific examinations to determine if the rectum was transacted or lacerated, again said the injury could be due to a fragmented sacrum bone.

He added that the trousers would have had a hole instead of a tear if it was indeed a penetration wound.

Malik Imtiaz: What if when this was done, the trousers were taken off?

Dr Khairul Azman:There would be bleeding.

Malik Imtiaz:There was bleeding?

Dr Khairul Azman: Yes.

Earlier, Dr Khairul Azman, replying to counsel Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family, said such an injury could also be caused when beaten with a blunt wooden object.

Gobind:If he was hit with a blunt and flat object, is it a possibility that he did not have his pants on at the time?

Dr Khairul Azman: Yes, possible.

To whether the injuries could have occurred if one fell from a high altitude and landed flat, Dr Khairul Azman said the injury would have occurred when the posterior took a very hard knock upon landing.

Gobind: In that case the theory that injury was on the right leg does not makes sense.

(Last week, Dr Khairul Azman said Teoh could have landed on his feet with the right leg taking the bulk of the impact.)

To Malik Imtiaz’s question on whether he could say whether there were injuries before the fall, he said: “If there’s evidence such as blood or any other clear signs, only then can I say there is a possibility that it is a homicide.”

Malik Imtiaz also asked if the scratches on Teohs hands resembled fingernail marks.

Dr Khairul Azman said that there was a possibility.

Malik Imtiaz: Is it possible that when he was being held out of the window to scare him, and as he fell, someone grabbed him by the hand and the watch came off, because we never found the watch. Is there a possibility?

SHAH ALAM: A senior government pathologist testified that he interviewed Teoh Beng Hock’s family but admitted that he did not speak to any Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission officers to help formulate his opinion.

Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim told the inquest into the political aide’s death that he had interviewed the relatives to have a better understanding of what may have happened on the day he died.

He said he spoke to Teoh’s elder brother, younger sister and fiance to know when was the last time they saw him alive.

Replying to counsel Gobind Singh Deo, who is keeping a watching brief for Teoh’s family, Dr Khairul Azman said he had wanted to know Teoh’s state of mind and if he had suicidal tendencies.

“Did you ask the family if he had psychological problems, medical problems, drinking, alcohol and smoking problems?” asked Gobind. “Yes, he had none,” Dr Khairul Azman said.

He said Teoh’s brother told him that his brother was an open person who liked to discuss things.

When Dr Khairul Azman insinuated that Teoh might have been embarrassed for making a mistake, Gobind said: “Be careful. You don’t know from the background.

“There’s no reason for him to commit suicide. What about the other aspect of him being murdered? Isn’t it equally important to question the MACC officers as well?”

Dr Khairul Azman replied that it was the duty of the police to speak with the MACC officers.

When Gobind said he was not in a position to rule out the possibility of a homicide as he did not probe the MACC officers, Dr Khairul Azman said: “I do not have proof to support that a homicide had taken place.”

Monday, August 17, 2009

SHAH ALAM, Aug 17 — The government pathologist who last week suggested Teoh Beng Hock committed suicide came under fire from lawyers again today over his insistence that crucial DNA material to the inquest was contaminated on the autopsy table.

Dr Khairul Aznam Ibrahim, who had carried out the autopsy on the DAP political aide the day after he was found dead, had earlier testified that the unknown DNA profiles of at least two men found on Teoh's coat and belt were highly likely the result of “contamination” of the autopsy table at the Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah (HTAR) in Klang near here.

The lawyer for the Selangor government, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, seemed to find the senior medical forensic expert's theory incredulous, especially after the latter told the coroner's court today that he had was not even in the room when Teoh's clothes were removed.

He quizzed Dr Khairul if the hospital attendants who did it wore gloves.

Dr Khairul said they did.

Puzzled, Malik asked the pathologist to explain how the contamination could then have taken place.

“During removal, the plastic was taken out. During that process, it might have happened,” Dr Khairul replied, adding that the attendants could have placed the clothes on a contaminated table while photographing one by one the items removed from Teoh's body.

The lawyer did not buy the pathologist's theory and kept pressing him for certainty, referring him to a photograph of the belt, which showed it coiled and standing upright on its edges without the flat part, where swabs were later taken, touching the surface of the table.

Malik: You're not sure there was contamination?

Dr Khairul: I'm sure there was contamination.

Malik: Based on what? You're saying the hospital in Klang contaminated the exhibits? You were not involved in the removal of the clothing. So would you agree that you're speculating?

Dr Khairul: It could have happened that way.

Exasperated, the usually mild-mannered Malik blew up for the second time today.

“You're speculating! Only tell us what you know,” the lawyer cried.

“I'm wondering why you are taking steps to undermine the facts,” he asked.

In a tight voice, Malik asked the pathologist again if he knew, for a fact — here he paused, stressing the word — that the autopsy table was contaminated.

“I don't know,” Dr Khairul answered in a low voice.

At the onset of the inquest, the coroner was told by government DNA expert Dr Seah Lay Hong that she had found samples of foreign DNA on the back of Teoh's coat and on his belt, which belonged to at least two men, seeming to raise the public's suspicions of foul play.

She had run tests on 157 individuals, including 81 anti-graft officers believed to be from the investigation team quizzing Teoh over alleged misuse of state money, and failed to find a match to the DNA, which remains a mystery to today.

02:00pm:Inquest adjourns to Tuesday morning after intense questioning of the various injuries noted in the post mortem.

12:49pm: Malik Imtiaz put forward a hypothesis; that Teoh was surrounded by individuals - a form of scare tactic - before he fell. When he fell someone grabbed his hand and snapped his wristwatch as the watch is yet to be found.

Malik:Is there a possibility that the scratches on Teoh's wrist could have been caused by someone who held the wrist with the watch?

Khairul:Yes, there is a possibility

12:25pm:Dr Khairul says there is a possibility that the injuries on Teoh's face could have been caused by beating.

11:47am: To a question by Malik, Dr Khairul says that Teoh was conscious when he fell, based on spasm signs in his left hand. This indicates he had tried to grab something when he fell.

10:10am:Dr Khairul complains to Coroner that Gobind is "playing with words", after persistent questioning by Gobind. Gobind retorts that he asked straight questions five times but did not get straight answers.10:00am: Gobind says that as Dr Khairul had not interviewed MACC officers, he was not privy to evidence that excluded the possibility of homicide. But Dr Khairul insists that there was no evidence of homicide.

09:50am: Gobind asks Dr Khairul why he did not question MACC officers. Dr Khairul responded that it was not his job and he relied on information from the police.

09:40am: Dr Khairul says he questioned three of Teoh's family members - brother, younger sister and fiance - to determine if Teoh had any psychological, medical, drug or smoking problem. The family members had told him that Teoh did not have any of those problems.

09:31am: Dr Khairul agrees with Gobind's suggestion that a psychological background check on Teoh was important to determine if the cause of death was suicide.

SHAH ALAM: The inquest into the death of Teoh Beng Hock enters its ninth day.

Teoh, 30, who was political secretary to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on July 16 on the fifth floor corridor of Plaza Masalam, after giving a statement in an investigation into alleged abuse of state government funds.

The Coroner is Azmil Mustapha Abas and Tan Hock Chuan is the lawyer appointed by the Government to assist the Coroner.

Gobind Singh Deo is holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family while Malik Imtiaz Sarwar is representing the Selangor government.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

ALOR GAJAH: Family members of Teoh Beng Hock and his 28-year-old fiancee Soh Cher Wei partook in a traditional Chinese tea ceremony to formally recognise her as his wife.

The solemn ceremony, which began at 11am, at Teoh’s home in Taman Sri Kelemak, Alor Gajah, yesterday, saw both elation and grief from the two families.

Soh, who is currently in the first trimester of her pregnancy, was seen quietly sobbing as she offered tea to Teoh’s parents seated before her.

She then served tea to other senior members of Teoh’s family at the small and private ceremony attended only by close relatives.

Earlier, as part of the ceremony, Soh had also offered prayers to Teoh’s ancestors.

Teoh’s siblings later presented Soh with a gold ring and bracelet, which his younger sister Lee Lan, 29, helped to put on.

When met later, Soh, who had recently cut her hair short, said she had not dreamt of Teoh or his spirit returning to visit her since his death.

“No, I have not dreamt of him. I suppose he has not returned to visit me as he might be feeling guilty for leaving me,” she said, adding that she wished he would return to tell her the truth behind his death.“I decided to cut my hair short to begin a new life,” she said, adding that she had since moved back to her family in Batu Pahat, Johor, and was now teaching in a Chinese primary school in Ayer Hitam.

Soh said both Teoh and her had picked Oct 3, which is also the date of the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival for their wedding, before his death on July 16.

Former Kota Melaka MP Kerk Kim Hock, who is related to Teoh’s family, clarified that the ceremony was not the traditional Chinese afterworld wedding that Soh had earlier expressed her wish for.

“This is just a simple and meaningful ceremony to mark the recognition and acceptance of Soh as the daughter-in-law of the Teoh family,” he said, adding that both families had also agreed for their relationship to be recognised through the ceremony.

Teoh, who was the political secretary to Selangor exco member Ean Yong Hian Wah, died on July 16 after falling from the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam, where the state Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office was located.

He died hours after being interviewed by MACC officers as a witness in an investigation into the disbursement of state funds.

ALOR GAJAH, Aug 15 – The cheeks of the young children were stained with chocolate as they munched on Pocky chocolate-coated sticks while weaving in and out of the many legs that crowded the tiny living room in Teoh Beng Hock's family home here late this morning. Their eyes rounded in wonder.

A table in front of the family altar was laden with cakes and other traditional delicacies, including several kinds of sticky fried sweets peculiar to the Hokkien community during weddings only.

But nobody moved to help themselves to the food. They were waiting.

Soh Cher Wei arrived with her parents and siblings at her late fiance's home close to 11am. Today marked the day she would be formally inducted into the Teoh family, even if her intended no longer stood by her side.

The primary school teacher got engaged to the political secretary to first-term DAP Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah while he was a reporter with a Chinese daily, after a two-year courtship.

Cher Wei, who recently transferred back to her family home in Batu Pahat, was met at the door by Beng Hock's mother, Teng Shuw Hor, 56, and handed a bundle of lit joss sticks, smelling faintly of sandalwood.

Both made their way barefooted to the porch where a small, roofed shrine stood in a corner. Hands clasping the joss sticks, they bowed their heads in respect of the sky god before planting a few into a pot inside.

They returned to the main altar where Cher Wei continued her obeisance to Beng Hock's ancestors and family deities even as a slow Buddhist song played on softly in the background.

The all-important tea ceremony that followed next was highly-charged.

Cher Wei, dressed in a thin, knitted white cardigan over a knee-length black dress, knelt down alone in front of Beng Hock's parents and offered them a cup of tea each.

They accepted with both hands, drained the bitter brew, and completed the Chinese custom welcoming their younger son's wife into the family by handing her the traditional red packet.

The tears that glittered as they slid down her thin, pale cheeks were the only adornment on her face as Cher Wei greeted her weeping new in-laws, especially when 29-year-old Teoh Lee Lan, Beng Hock's youngest sister, slipped a bright gold band onto the ring finger on her right hand, marking her new status.

The 28-year-old would have exchanged rings with Beng Hock himself on July 16 instead of through a proxy had things turned out differently.

As matters stand, Cher Wei who is in her first trimester, is still waiting for word from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak on whether her unborn child will be allowed to bear the Teoh family name on the birth certificate.

In Malaysia, a newborn's father has to be physically present and produce the marriage certificate before his name can be recorded on the birth certificate. In the absence of one, the space for the father's name is left blank.

But with today's ceremony over, Beng Hock's sweetheart now holds the right to have her name engraved on his gravestone at the Nirvana Memorial Park in Semenyih as his wife in accordance to Chinese custom, said Kerk Kim Hock, a distant uncle related by marriage to the deceased.

Kerk, who was formerly DAP's secretary-general, was acting as spokesman for the still-grieving family.

Beng Hock and Cher Wei had originally planned to tie the knot on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, a very romantic date according to the Chinese calendar as it marks Mid-Autumn Festival Day, which falls on October 3 this year.

The ceremony was brought forward to today, coincidentally the 15th day of the eight month in the Western calendar, to accommodate cultural sensitivities.

The Chinese believe that the soul of a deceased person remains in the human plane for seven weeks before departing for the next world.

They also believe the soul will take this chance to send a last message to his beloved and his family through their dreams.

Tomorrow marks the fourth week exactly since Beng Hock's funeral. Yet no one in the family has dreamt of Beng Hock.

“We want to dream of him. But we are too sad,” said Lee Lan, bright-eyed with unshed tears.

SHAH ALAM: A lawyer challenged a suggestion by a senior forensic pathologist that Teoh Beng Hock may have committed suicide.

Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for the political aide’s family, suggested that Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim was not able to factually support his contention on the possible cause of Teoh’s death.

When he said he did not as this was not needed in the case, Gobind asked: “So, you couldn’t tell if his shoes were too loose for him as you didn’t measure his feet. In this particular case the shoe was found far away from the body. How far was it?

Gobind: It’s good to measure isn’t it? You cannot tell us how the shoe got there. You are in no position to tell us!

Dr Khairul Azman: It could have come off when he fell.

Gobind then said that logically, if the shoe was tight, this would not have happened.

When he asked if there was a possibility that Teoh was thrown out first and then the shoe, Dr Khairul Azman replied: “Yes, there is a possibility.”

Gobind: In that case, it is indicative of a homicide. Did you address that possibility?

Dr Khairul Azman: Yes, there is a possibility.Gobind: Did you test the shoe for fingerprints? Dr Khairul Azman: No

Gobind: Is it significant?

Dr Khairul Azman: Yes

Gobind: Why didn’t you do it?

Dr Khairul Azman: I expected the police to do it.

Gobind: But you didn’t get them to do it because it would have indicated a homicide. Were you covering it up?

Dr Khairul Azman: No, I am not covering up.

Gobind then asked Dr Khairul Azman how he reckoned Teoh had come out of the window and the pathologist stepped out of the witness stand and demonstrated how he thought Teoh had jumped.

(While doing so, he demonstrated how he thought Teoh would have stood on the bottom ledge and gripped its top ledge.)

When Gobind asked Dr Khairul Azman if there would have been shoe prints or hand prints on the window frame if Teoh had jumped off in that manner, the pathologist agreed, adding that there was a possibility the footprints were not noticed.

“You said in your theory that he stood there and jumped. You went there, there were no footprints,” Gobing pointed out.

He suggested that Dr Khairul Azman had given theories that he could not support with facts.

“In this case your theory is demolished. It was not suicide, sir. Your theories come to naught. You are wrong!” said Gobind.

Dr Khairul Azman said he did not agree as one of the reasons there was no footprints was because Teoh had walked on the carpeted floor which had no dust.

He was replying to questions posed by government-appointed counsel Tan Hock Chuan on whether Teoh’s death was a homicide, accident or suicide.

Tan:In your opinion based on the post-mortem results, visits to the scene of the incident on July 16 and 22, toxicology and DNA results; is it likely the death of the deceased was a suicide?

Dr Khairul Azman: In my opinion there are signs which indicate this.

Firstly there were no clear signs of a struggle, no bloodstains or things strewn around on the floor, he said.

“A pen (an MACC pen) was also intact in his pocket and there were no MACC officers’ DNA detected in the DNA tests (carried out on his blazer and belt). His injuries did not show any struggle and were consistent with a fall from a high place,” he said.

Dr Khairul Azman also said the death could not have been accidental as “it is highly unlikely for someone with a conscious state of mind to slip and fall while standing by the window”.

“This is because the area is not slippery and is carpeted. However, if going on a probability, we can still think about it because it could happen if the deceased had tried to open the window as wide as possible while feeling sleepy,” said Dr Khairul Azman.

However, he noted that the argument that Teoh had accidentally fallen or slipped and plunged out of the window could be challenged due to the height of the window shoulder, which was about waist high.

“In the event he had fallen, there is a great possibility the deceased would have landed head first or body first,” he said. Forensic investigations indicated Teoh had landed on his feet.

Teoh, who was the political secretary to Selangor executive council member Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead at 1.30pm on July 16, at Plaza Masalam’s fifth floor service corridor.

Dr Khairul Azman also ruled out the possibility that Teoh may have suffocated or been unconscious as toxicology tests indicated he had not been under the influence of common drugs or alcohol.

DNA tests carried out on the bloodstains found on his clothes also revealed that it was his own blood, he said.

On whether Teoh could have been dragged prior to his death, Dr Khairul Azman said there was no clear signs to indicate this.

On the DNA of two unknown males found on Teoh’s belt and blazer that did not match any of the 157 people sampled, Dr Khairul Azman said it could have come from the HTAR mortuary.

“I believe it must have come from contamination when the deceased’s clothes were removed at the mortuary,” he added.

Friday, August 14, 2009

SHAH ALAM: There is a possibility that political aide Teoh Beng Hock committed suicide by jumping off a high place, an inquest into his death was told Friday.

Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim, 51, senior medical consultant at the Forensics Department, Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang, said his finding was based on the absence of any signs of a struggle near the window where Teoh was believed to have fallen from the 14th floor office of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) at Plaza Masalam here on July 16.

"There was no blood stain, smashed glass or any items scattered near the window and an MACC pen, which was in Teoh's pocket, was still there.

"The DNA test also found no DNA traces from the MACC officers, and the injuries (on Teoh's body) did not show any signs of a struggle and were consistent with a fall, " he said when questioned by government-appointed lawyer Tan Hock Chuan who is assisting in the inquest.

Teoh, 30, who was political secretary to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on July 16 on the fifth floor corridor of Plaza Masalam, after giving a statement in an investigation into alleged abuse of state government funds.

Questioned by Tan on the possibility of Teoh being suffocated, Dr Khairul said there were no signs that Teoh had suffocated.

He also ruled out the possibility that Teoh's death was accidental as it was hard to believe that someone in a conscious state would slip while standing near the window because the place was not slippery and was carpeted.

"However, there was a possibility that it could have happened when Teoh tried to open the window wide and he was sleepy.

"But this could be questioned because if Teoh had slipped, with the window at his waist level, and fallen, he would have landed in a different position, probably, the head or body first. This is just a possibility, " he added.Dr Khairul said his findings were based on the post-mortem and toxicology reports, as well as checks at the scene of the incident on July 16 and 22. He said that based on the toxicology report, Teoh was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the incident.

He also told the court that there were several possibilities for a person to fall from a high place.

He could fall accidentally, jump off on his own or be thrown or pushed, he added. - Bernama

11.40am: Gobind argued that Khairul's suicide theory was nought as there were no hand prints or foot prints on the window frame.

11.19am: Gobind Singh Deo cross examines Dr Khairul

11.00am: Court resumes

10.30am: Court takes a short break

10.19am:Tan Hock Chuan: In your opinion, based on post-mortem report, injuries on the deceased, your site visits on July 16 and 22, toxicology reports and DNA reports, is it likely Teoh's death was caused by suicide? Dr Khairul: In my opinion it would likely be that the deceased jumped off. There are signs (of suicide).

10.05am: Dr Khairul says that, in his opinion, there was no conclusive evidence of homicide. He says there were no signs of struggle.

09.25am: Dr Khairul says that he saw no obvious signs that Teoh was dragged.

SHAH ALAM: Political aide Teoh Beng Hock may have been dragged prior to his death as there were deep graze marks on the sole of his right shoe.

C/Insp Mazli Jusoh, 31, from the Selangor police forensics department told the inquest into Teoh’s death yesterday that this was a possibility.

Insp Mazli said Teoh’s left shoe, however, was not damaged.

He was answering questions posed by counsel Malik Imtiaz Sarwar who is holding a watching brief for the Selangor government.

Malik Imtiaz: “Is there a possibility that the deceased had been dragged?”

Insp Mazli: “No, usually when someone is dragged from behind it will not show on the sole because the feet would be flat down, as he would be using the heel of his shoes to resist.”

Malik Imtiaz: “If he was dragged sideways, is there a possibility (for the graze marks to have occurred)?”

Insp Mazli: “Yes, possibly.”

Teoh, who was the political secretary to Selangor executive council member Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead at 1.30pm on July 16, at Plaza Masalam’s fifth floor service corridor.

He had gone to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office on the 14th floor of the building on July 15, to help with investigations into the disbursement of state funds.

Insp Mazli also said, when he inspected the deceased, he found dirt stains on the back portion of his (Teoh’s) torn pants.

Earlier, he told the inquest that he had taken two swabs each from the MACC’s office window, from which Teoh is believed to have plunged to his death, as well as a sofa on which Teoh had allegedly spent the night.

Insp Mazli also said when he went to the MACC office on July 16, the relevant areas had been secured.

Malik Imtiaz: “So before it was secured, anyone could have gone in? Did you see any footprints near the window?”

Insp Mazli: “I did not see any footprints. If someone had stood there, there would have been a mark due to the dust.”

He added that there were also no visible fingerprints on the window as well, which was dirty and dusty.

Sreekant Pillai, who is also counsel for the Selangor government, asked Insp Mazli if he had looked for fingerprints on Teoh’s body.

“No, there were no instructions given,” said Insp Mazli.

The inquest’s 14th witness, DSP Shahrul Othman Mansor from the Cheras Royal Malaysian Police forensic laboratory, who took the stand after Insp Mazli, testified that he had detected a faint nine-inch (22.9cm) shoe print on the window shoulder, but he did not find out whose print it was.

DSP Shahrul also said he had not checked the window for any fingerprints or tell-tale signs because he had been informed by Investigating Officer ASP Ahmad Nazri Zainal that the Selangor police forensics team had already inspected the place.

However, he added that he noticed that the window’s latch had been recently broken.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

SHAH ALAM: There were no notes or records in the notebook of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission officer who called Teoh Beng Hock in for questioning.

Teoh was summoned to the MACC office on July 15 and was released after questioning in the early hours of July 16.

The coroner's court, however, was told yesterday that there were no notes of the questioning session in the notebook of the MACC officer assigned to this case.

The 11th witness in the inquest, Inspector Mohd Zulaimi Mohd Zubir, told the inquest he was ordered to seize the "official daily notebook" of the MACC investigating officer who was leading the graft probe.

(Teoh had been called to the MACC as a witness in the probe against several Selangor Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen.)

Zulaimi said he seized the notebook belonging to the investigating officer, Mohd Anuar Ismail, on July 18, two days after Teoh was found dead.

"I made 10 copies of the notebook and had them certified by the MACC deputy director," Zulaimi said to a question by counsel Tan Hock Chuan, who is assisting the Attorney-General's Chambers in the inquest.

Tan: Were there any notes in Anuar's official daily notebook 2009?

Zulaimi: There was only one (entry) on July 8, (on) Wednesday, which states "house/Putrajaya/office Toll RM".

Tan: Were there any notes on July 15 and 16?

Zulaimi: No.

Tan: So, from July 1 to 18, there was only one entry, which was made on July 8?

Zulaimi: Yes.

Tan: Besides Anuar's notebook, did you seize the notebook of any other officer?

Zulaimi: No. I only confiscated Anuar's, but if I am not mistaken, Inspector Shahzrin and Chief Inspector Zakiol did.

Zulaimi, who is also an IO at the Shah Alam district police station, seized the Plaza Masalam closed-circuit television camera (CCTV) hard disk on July 18 to find out the time Teoh had entered the building.

"Teoh came in through the lobby on the 4th floor at 18:08:55 and did not leave the premises," he said.

"I was also instructed by the Shah Alam police chief ACP Noor Azam Jamaludin to seize CCTV recordings between midnight and 7am on July 16 to monitor the movements of MACC officers and other individuals."

He said 47 still pictures were captured from the CCTV images of people walking in and out of the building.

Zulaimi, however, said he did not recognise any of them, but was told by the security guards at Plaza Masalam that they were MACC officers.

The CCTV recordings were later handed to the Forensics Department in Bukit Aman for analysis.

On the day Teoh died, Zulaimi was instructed to go and secure the scene.

He said while he was there, an MACC officer told him that the victim was a witness in a graft probe.

Later when questioned by counsel Gobind Singh Deo, Zulaimi admitted that he did not take the details of the MACC officer who had told him Teoh was a witness.

Gobind: How many MACC officers did you see when you were at the scene?

Zulaimi: About four to five. They were looking from a window of an office premises about five to six feet away from the body.

Gobind: Did you ask them how their witness could have fallen?

Zulaimi: No.

Gobind: Why didn't you ask the identity of the officer who had told you that Teoh was their witness?

Zulaimi: I was not instructed to.

Gobind: Isn't it important to do so?

Zulaimi: Yes. I forgot to do so.

Gobind: Did it ever cross your mind that Teoh could have been pushed or flung out of the building?

Zulaimi: Yes, but after investigations, we learnt that Teoh could have either fallen or was pushed from a window on the 14th floor.

Another witness, Inspector Mohd Zaidi Abu Hassan, of the police's forensic lab, said he was tasked with extracting details from Teoh's Sony Ericson P1i handphone.

12.28pm: Court adjourns to 8.30am tomorrow after all witnesses present took the stand.

Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family, is expected to cross examine the witnesses tomorrow as he was not present in court today. Malik Imtiaz stood in for Gobind.

11.30am: Court resumes and calls Deputy Supt Shahrul Othman from the Royal Malaysian Police forensics laboratory to take the stand.

10.50am: Court in recess.

10.40am: Insp Mazli says that based on scratch marks on the sole of Teoh’s shoes, there is a possibility that he (Teoh) was dragged.

10.30am: To a question by Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, who is representing the Selangor Government, Insp Mazli says there were no footsteps found on the 14th floor window sill.

“I have checked. The place is dusty. If someone had set foot there, there must be shoe prints,” says Insp Mazli.

10am: Insp Mazli says he took two swabs each from the Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office’s 14th floor window and the sofa which Teoh had allegedly slept on.

9am: Inquest starts with two crime scene investigators from the Selangor police to testify.First to take the stand is Chief Inspector Mazli Jusoh.

SHAH ALAM: The inquest into the death of Teoh Beng Hock before Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas enters Day 7 Thursday.

Wednesday the coroner’s court heard of video footage from closed-circuit television at Plaza Masalam showing Teoh entering the building through the fourth floor lobby at 6.09pm on July 15.

The recording, however, did not show him leaving the building after that or the following morning, according to 11th witness police officer Insp Mohd Zulaimi Zubir from the Shah Alam police headquarters’ crime department.

Insp Mohd Zulaimi said he obtained recordings for between midnight on July 15 and 7am the following morning, and had seized the CCTV’s hard disk on July 17 to be sent to the Bukit Aman forensics department the following day.

It is not known yet if both Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim, senior consultant at Forensics Department Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah and UMMC forensic pathologist Dr Prashant Samberkar are well enough to testify as they called in sick Wednesday.

Teoh, 30, political secretary to Selangor Exco Ean Yong Hian Wah was found dead on July 16 on level 5 of Plaza Masalam after giving a statement as a witness into alleged abuse of state government allocation at the Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office.

10.05am: Coroner Azmil asks Dr Khairul whether he can read autopsy report in English as requested by interested parties so that no details are left out. Dr Khairul had carried out a second autopsy on Teoh.

Reading his report, Dr Khairul said Teoh sustained multiple injuries mostly to the right side of his body. A bone fragment was found in a sock worn by Teoh on his right foot.

Monday’s hearing was cut short to allow pathologists and forensics experts to test two stains on the stairway between level 14 and 15 of Plaza Masalam.

Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for Teoh's family told reporters Monday, that the stains were not blood.

Results of the tests on the stains are expected to be made known in court Tuesday before Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas.

Teoh, 30, political secretary to Selangor Exco Ean Yong Hian Wah was found dead on July 16 on level 5 of Plaza Masalam after giving a statement as a witness into alleged abuse of state government allocation at the Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office.

In other developments, Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand, Director of the Central Institute of Forensic Science, Thailand, whose expertise had been requested by the state administration, would not be at the inquest.

She would be represented by her associates Dr Triyarith Temahivong, Chief of Clinical Forensic Medicine at the institute, and Police Lft. Col. Somchai Chailermsooksant, forensic scientist and Chief of the institute’s Crime Scene Unit.

Last week, DNA scientist Dr Seah Lay Hong told the court that it was possible that force was exerted on Teoh just before he died, suggesting that his death could be “not accidental”.

She said it was a hypothesis that force was applied at the tear region of the belt worn by Teoh in order for the rupture to occur.

Dr Seah, of the Chemistry Department, said it was “one of the many possibilities” that Teoh may have been held back by the belt for the tear to have occurred.

Dr Seah also said that swabs from Teoh’s damaged belt had the DNA of two other unknown males apart from his own. One of the unknown males was tagged as Male 1.

The DNA profiles of 157 individuals were compared with that of the two unknown males but none of them matched, she said.

Dr Seah also said that DNA profiles from swabs taken from the back outer side of a blazer consisted of a mix of male DNA types matching that of Teoh and Male 1.

SHAH ALAM: Teoh Beng Hock died of multiple injuries caused by a fall from a high place and the post-mortem showed no signs of defensive injuries or a struggle, an inquest into his death was told.

Senior consultant pathologist Dr Khairul Azman, 51, said the political aide had 22 fractures, abrasions and bruises when the post-mortem was conducted on him on July 17.

However, according to Dr Khairul Azman, of the Klang Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital, none of these injuries indicated that Teoh had sustained them either in a struggle or by defending himself in an attack.

“The injuries detected on Teoh were consistent with impact due to a fall from a high place. Death was also due to multiple injuries caused by fall from a high place,” said the pathologist, who conducted the post-mortem together with Universiti Malaya Medical Centre’s forensic pathologist Dr Prashant Samberkar.He was also of the view that Teoh had landed on his feet and crashed onto the right side of his body, judging from the impact injuries sustained on his right torso and limbs.

A small piece of bone fragment was also found in Teoh’s right sock and his right leg was also found to have become shorter than his left.

Dr Khairul Azman then demonstrated to the court how he believes Teoh might have landed on the ground after the fall.

Replying to questions posed by lawyer Tan Hock Chuan, who is appointed by the Government to assist coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas, Dr Khairul Azman said Teoh could have died less than 36 hours (a day and a half) before the post-mortem (conducted about noon on July 17), based on the odour and state of rigor mortis.

Teoh, 30, was found dead at 1.30pm on July 16, which was a day after he had gone to the Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office located on the 14th and 15th floor of Plaza Masalam near here.

His body was found on the fifth floor. He had been summoned to go there to help investigations into the disbursement of state funds.

Dr Khairul Azman told the inquest that besides fractures in his legs and arms, there were also fractures in Teoh’s skull, neck and jawbone.

Teoh had severe damage to his chest cavity, which was filled with blood.

He had also broken almost all his ribs and had serious damage to the protective ribcage layer that covered his heart.

“There was a lot of internal bleeding in several parts of his body as well as under his skin,” he added.

On another matter, Dr Khairul Azman said it was not a common practice for him to conduct a post-mortem with another pathologist.

“Then why did you perform the post-mortem with Dr Prashant?” asked Tan.

Dr Khairul Azman replied: “The post-mortem was conducted with Dr Prashant due to the request made by his brother Teoh Meng Kee who wanted Dr Prashant to be present.”

Earlier, Gobind Singh Deo, who is representing Teoh’s family, protested that Dr Khairul Azman testified in Bahasa Malaysia although he had written his post-mortem report in English.

Gobind said many crucial points could be lost in the impromptu verbal translation done by Dr Khairul Azman while testifying.

However, Tan argued, saying: “It’s not right to force someone to speak in a language he’s not comfortable with.”

Azmil Muntapha then told Dr Khairul Azman that he was not being compelled to speak in English but urged him to ascertain that nothing was lost in translation.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

SHAH ALAM: The dried brownish red substance found at the Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office at Plaza Masalam here is not blood.

Lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for the family of deceased political aide Teoh Beng Hock, told reporters yesterday that preliminary tests had confirmed that the stains were not blood.

“They have told us that there is a possibility that it is anti-rust paint that looks like blood. But this is subject to confirmation by laboratory tests,” said Gobind.

He said the report on the findings was expected to be presented at the inquest today.

Government DNA profiling expert Dr Seah Lay Hong conducted the preliminary test on the substance and will be carrying out further tests to identify it.

The stains were discovered in several areas in the premises during a site inspection last Friday.

Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas as well as lawyers representing the Government, Teoh’s family, the Selangor state government and the Bar Council went to the MACC’s office on the 14th and 15th floor of the building on Friday.

They also visited the 5th floor service corridor where Teoh’s remains were found on June 16, a day after he was questioned by the MACC over the disbursement of state funds.

Earlier in the day when the inquest started, Gobind had applied for tests to be carried out to determine whether the stains were blood.

Azmil allowed the application, which was not objected to by Tan Hock Chuan, who is the government-appointed lawyer assisting the coroner.

Also at the inquest yesterday morning were associates of renowned Thai forensic pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand, who is the director of the Central Institute of Forensic Science, Thailand.

The two – Dr Triyarith Temahivong, Chief of Clinical Forensic Medicine at the institute and Police Lt-Col Somchai Chailermsooksant, forensic scientist and the institute’s Crime Scene chief – also examined the premises yesterday.

The state government had also enlisted the services of local forensics consultant Supt (R) Amidon Anan who was at the scene with Dr Seah and the two Thai experts.

The two experts, who arrived on Sunday, spent the entire day going through the relevant photographs as well as DNA and forensic reports.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

SHAH ALAM: The police have been asked to conduct further investigations on several new areas and items found during a visit by parties involved in the inquest into the death of Teoh Beng Hock.

Gobind Singh Deo, who is leading the team that is holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family, said several areas and items were identified as significant and which would assist in the inquest into Teoh’s death.

However, Gobind declined to divulge more details on the new findings when asked to elaborate.

Speaking to reporters outside the Plaza Masalam after the visit yesterday, he said:

“In the event we find that the expert witnesses (who are scheduled to testify next week) require time to conduct more investigations, we will not hesitate to make an application to the coroner for orders to that effect.”

Gobind also expressed disappointment that investigations only revolved around the theories of death caused by a fall from a high building and suicide, and not any other possibilities.

Lim Lip Eng, another lawyer holding a watching brief for the family, claimed that some blood-like stains were found at the back staircase linking the main Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office on the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam to the 15th floor of the building.

Lim had gone to the building for site inspection with coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas, court officials, police personnel and lawyers representing the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Teoh’s family, Selangor state government and Bar Council.

The lawyer also claimed that similar stains were also found in one of the 15th floor MACC offices. He said this was a disturbing turn of events given that inquests must only begin when all investigations had been concluded.

SHAH ALAM: Parties involved in the inquest into Teoh Beng Hock’s death, led by coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas, visited the site where the political aide was found dead in Plaza Masalam here.

During the two-hour visit, Azmil Muntapha and the legal teams viewed the visitors lounge, pantry, the sofa on which Teoh allegedly slept on and the interrogation room where he was questioned in the Selangor branch of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office.

Lawyers representing Teoh’s family, the state government and Bar Council, started arriving in groups from 9.10am.

When Azmil Muntapha arrived, he headed for the 14th floor of the building where lawyers, court officials and police were waiting at the MACC office.

Not long after, pressmen who waited outside the building saw coroner and lawyers peering out of the window from which Teoh purportedly fell.

The entourage later took the staircase to the 15th floor where part of the MACC office was located.

At 10.50am, inquest officials headed towards the fifth-floor corridor of Plaza Masalam where Teoh’s body was found on July 16.

After spending some time there, they took the stairs to the fourth floor of the building to the security control room.

Lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, representing the state government, told reporters that the lawyers took the opportunity to see the site from every possible angle and were given the chance to take photographs.

“We were also taken to see the CCTV footages in the control room. We have seen the place where the death occurred and now we’ll wait for the forensics experts to take the stand next week,” he said.

Teoh, 30, was found dead on the fifth floor of the building after he was interviewed by the MACC, which has its state office on the 14th floor.

The political secretary to Selangor exco member Ean Yong Hian Wah was reported to have been a witness in an investigation into the alleged abuse of constituency development funds by several Selangor Pakatan Rakyat state assemblymen.

Beng Hock's baby boy born

Important!

Sdr Teoh Beng Hock (1979-2009)

We are mourning the death of Sdr Teoh Beng Hock who passed away on 16th July 2009.

Sdr Beng Hock was invited by the Selangor MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) to assist in their investigation into constituency allocations. He went to the MACC Headquarters at around 5.40pm on 15th July 2009 but never came back. His body was found on the 5th floor of Wisma Masalam at 1pm on 16th July, less than 20 hours later. The MACC office is located on the 14th floor of the same building.

Sdr Beng Hock previously worked as a reporter for Sin Chew Daily and joined the office of Selangor Exco, Ean Yong Hian Wah after the 2008 General Election as the latter's political secretary. He was a helpful and diligent young man, liked by all who worked with him and cherished by those who are his good friends.

The death of Sdr Beng Hock is shrouded in mystery and a slew of unanswered questions. It involved a power law enforcement agency in the country – MACC - that was supposed to protect the interests of the people and the country. There have been many police custodial deaths but this is the first case of death in the custody of the MACC.

We demand answers and a detailed explanation of the death of Sdr Beng Hock. We demand justice for Sdr Beng Hock!